In telecommunications, presence information is information regarding an end user's or entity's connection to a network. Presence information can include an end user's location, connection status, directory address, etc. An end user's connection status can indicate the ability and willingness of an end user to communicate. Presence information may be stored by a presence server and delivered to authorized subscribers. Presence information has been applied to the Internet technology known as instant messaging (IM).
There are currently models for distributing and collecting presence information within the scope of an Internet protocol/data network environment. The ability to track the presence information of Internet users has been fairly well developed and widely published. However, as communication networking technology has continued to evolve at a rapid pace, so have the means by which end users or subscribers can communicate. More particularly, the explosive growth of hand-held, wireless communication terminals, such as mobile phones, wireless web phones, and personal digital assistants, has led to a demand for inter-networking or inter-medium communication solutions. In other words, it is rapidly becoming useful for a subscriber to have his or her wireless phone status or “presence” known to other subscribers, where these other subscribers may be using a variety of communication mediums, such as wireless phone service, wired phone service, short message service (SMS), or Internet service. In one example, it would be desirable for a subscriber to be able to obtain information regarding communications, such as phone call communications, made to or from a subscribed-to entity, referred to as a presentity.
Presence service uses a subscription model where subscribers desiring to receive presence information regarding another subscriber (the presentity) subscribe to receive updates to the presentity's presence information with a presence server. After a successful subscription, the presence server automatically delivers updates in the presentity's presence information to subscribed entities, also referred to as watchers. However, conventional presence information that is delivered to watchers has been limited to the presentity's current communication status, e.g., whether the presentity is connected to the network and available to receive instant messages.
Current presence servers do not provide additional information, such as call logs, parties involved in calls, or whether a call to a presentity was completed. Such information may be useful, for example, if the presentity is a child and the watcher is a parent or guardian.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improved methods, systems, and computer program products for delivering enhanced presence information regarding communications made to or from a presentity.